John 12:20-33

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-13, 14-15

Hebrews 5:7-9

John 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast

came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, 

and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”

Philip went and told Andrew; 

then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, 

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Amen, amen, I say to you, 

unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 

it remains just a grain of wheat; 

but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Whoever loves his life loses it,

and whoever hates his life in this world

will preserve it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me, 

and where I am, there also will my servant be.

The Father will honor whoever serves me.

“I am troubled now.  Yet what should I say?

‘Father, save me from this hour’?

But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.

Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, 

“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”

The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; 

but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered and said, 

“This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.

Now is the time of judgment on this world; 

now the ruler of this world will be driven out.

And when I am lifted up from the earth, 

I will draw everyone to myself.”

He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, like the Greeks in today’s Gospel, I too would like to see your Son. I see him in the Garden praying for the strength to do your will. I see him on the Cross conquering death. I see him rising from the dead to new life. I see him at your right hand reigning over all things. I see him coming at the end of time to judge all things and bring all things to their completion.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Promise of a New Covenant: Throughout the Old Testament, the divine covenants were broken by human beings. Adam and Eve broke the covenant of creation when they chose evil. The people of Israel broke the Sinai covenant when they worshipped the golden calf. The royal sons of David often led the people into idolatry and triggered the curses of Deuteronomy. What Jeremiah promises today is a New Covenant that will be different from the Sinai covenant which the people broke. Jeremiah references how God had to treat Israel as a master treats a slave. This is enshrined in the burdensome second law of Deuteronomy. But the day will come when God will make a New Covenant that will entail an internal law of the heart, grant intimate and experiential knowledge of God, and effectively forgive sins. The New Covenant, that Jesus will establish through his death on the Cross, extends beyond Israel to all peoples.

2. Jesus Draws Everyone to Himself: In the Gospel, it seems at first like Jesus didn’t answer the request of the Greeks. They asked to see Jesus and instead of saying, “Bring them here,” or “I will go to them,” Jesus launches into a discourse about his approaching death and the need to serve. But Jesus does answer their request. He indicates how all peoples in all times will be able to see him and encounter him. His death on the Cross will bring forth fruitfulness for all peoples. Through his Resurrection, the dead grain of wheat will become the bread of life for the entire world (see Benedict XVI, Wednesday Audience, June 14, 2006). The nations and families of the earth will be able to see and experience Jesus by following him on the way to the Cross and through the service of love. Jesus does not seek the earthly and passing glory of wealth and power. He seeks to glorify his Father as an obedient Son and to be glorified by his Father, who will lift him up and draw all peoples to himself through his Son and in the Spirit. When is Jesus lifted up? First, Jesus is lifted up on the Cross and this draws us in to contemplate how much God loves us. Second, Jesus is lifted up from the grave and this draws us in to contemplate the victory over death. Third, Jesus is lifted up and seated at the right hand of the Father and this draws us in to contemplate our future glorification.

3. Jesus was Made Perfect: Jesus assumed our human nature and transformed it through his life and death and resurrection. Our human nature was wounded and fallen and needed to be healed and brought to perfection. Jesus heals and perfects our nature through his Passion. Though he himself did not sin, he identified himself with sinful humanity. He offered himself to the Father in prayer and sought to be saved from death but only according to his Father’s will. And what the Father willed was that his Son take upon himself the sins of the world and through his death conquer death. Instead of imitating the disobedience of Adam, Jesus chose the path of obedient, filial love. Jesus learned obedience through his human nature and, through this, transformed our human nature and conformed it to God’s plan. In this way, he became the source of eternal salvation for those who lovingly obey the Father as he did.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I ask that I may always seek to hear your voice and listen to your words of life. Do not let me follow the noise of the world. You have the words of everlasting life.

Living the Word of God: How has Jesus transformed my life? How has he healed me? How can I imitate his obedience today as a loving child of God?